1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to securing of heat sinks to electronic packages, and particularly to a heat sink clip with pivoting locking portions for readily and securely retaining a heat sink to an electronic package.
2. Prior Art
In order to control heat produced by high-powered computer Central Processing Units (CPUs) such as the Pentium IV produced by Intel(R) and the K8 produced by AMD(R), bigger and heavier heat sinks are becoming increasingly necessary. Strong resilient clips are often used to attach these heat sinks onto electronic packages.
An example of this kind of heat sink clip is shown in FIG. 5. The clip is usually integrally formed from a sheet of plastic or steel. The clip comprises a main body 100 and an operator 200. The main body 100 comprises a central pressing portion 120, and two resilient portions extending outwardly and upwardly from opposite sides of the pressing portion 120. A locking portion 140 depends from a distal end of one of the resilient portions. A first locking hole 160 is defined in the locking portion 140. The operator 200 is pivotably attached to the other resilient portion via a slot 220 defined in the operator 200. A second locking hole 240 is defined in the operator 200. When the clip is used to press a heat sink 300 onto a CPU 400 mounted on a socket 500, the clip is positioned over the heat sink 300. The pressing portion 120 is positioned in a channel 320 defined in a center of the heat sink 300, and the first locking hole 160 loosely receives a first corresponding catch 520 formed on the socket 500. The operator 200 is urged downward, the second locking hole 240 engagingly receives a second corresponding catch 520 formed on the socket 500, and the first corresponding catch 520 is engaged in the first locking hole 160.
However, the clip is relatively rigid. A user must exert considerable force to cause the resilient portions to elastically deform, which is cumbersome and time-consuming. In addition, a tool must be used to detach the clip from the socket 500. It is inconvenient to use a tool, especially within the limited confines of a typical computer case. Furthermore, the tool can easily skid off the clip, causing damage to adjacent components in the computer case. These difficulties slow down the processes of attachment and detachment of the heat sink to and from the CPU, and result in inefficiency in mass production facilities.
Thus, an improved heat sink clip which overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.